Biking through Death Valley for Diabetes

On October 20,2012 my dad and I will bike 90 miles through Death Valley to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Each 10 miles represents a year with diabetes for me and a year of people I have met touched by diabetes. I will be posting fundraising and training updates. Thanks for visiting! Please visit my fundraising site: http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/JennyDeathValley

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Our awesome auction/fundraiser/dinner/party is Saturday and we are sold out of tickets!! Woohoo!!! I am so excited! 100 tickets sold. I am soo thankful for my mom, who made helping me plan this auction her life since May. She is my inspiration and the backbone behind all this. When things weren't going well, she inspired me to keep going!! Then my dad, who cheered us on every afternoon when we told him how things were going. And of course, has agreed to bike 90 miles in the blazing heat with me. Every week when I suggest biking at noon in the heat baked inland valleys, he says yes with a smile. Then, Dona Friel. She is the most awesomely organized, smart, and giving auction volunteer. She is putting together all our baskets, all $7000 in items! She does it all with a smile and we are so lucky to have Dona helping make everything amazing. Then, Natasha and Michael Bavin, who are providing us with beautiful rustic tables to use. And of course, helping us set up everything. Natasha brings such enthusiasm and a geniune willingness to help. Thanks to Robert and Carol Griswold for donating their gorgeous home for the event! They are so awesome opening up their home for us! Beatriz and Jaime Morales who are going to make everyone yummy paella that they have generously donated. We couldn't have this party without the paella and the people behind it. I am incredibly thankful to all the businesses who have helped donate items for the auction. It makes you feel good shopping at a business that gives back to the community. Finally, all 100 of you who have bought tickets to our incredible event. We can't do it without all of you.
This October when I'm on my bike I'll be thinking of all of you <3

I leave you with a photo of me with my parents biking in Breckenridge, Colorado....11,000 feet....45 degrees. Quite the contrast from Death Valley

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

**KUSI in San Diego has invited me to talk about the ride on their morning show tomorrow, Thursday 8/16/12, at 7:45am. It's live and I have no idea what I'm going to say. I'm so excited anyway because it will be a great way to get the word out and lots of fun too!! Sooo tune in and watch me!!!

**We have about 20 auction admission tickets left. The auction is Saturday August 25 from 5:30-8:30pm. It will feature live bands, paella, salad, dessert, sangria, lemonade, and over $7,000 in auction items!!

I've been so busy working at diabetes camp and then in Colorado on a vacation and most importantly working on the auction! Lots of work but it'll all pay off! I can't wait to see how much we raise! I have gotten some training in. Looking forward to more!

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Over the past 10 days I managed to rack to 104 miles. I went on 2 rides with my cousin Luigi, one with my mom, two with my dad, and one alone. I was never really that tired after any of them. The big issue I have is time. One day I got in 33 miles but I usually run out of time before I run out of energy!
For the first time ever I rode through downtown San Diego. There's a bike path along the harbor. It was nice but had waay too many slow people to dodge.
My donations for the auction are coming along well too. I got 2 meals at taverna blu del mar, some clothing from k5 and action star, some bike goodies from bear valley bikes, a kayak tour in la jolla, and a tandem glide from torrey pines gliderport woohooo!
I also had some random "diabetic luck". First,on Wednesday I went to a Liquid Force wakeboarding demo day. The guy running it is wearing a JDRF bracelet. I ask him about it and turns out he's a type 1 diabetic. Then the next day, I'm at rubios having dinner with my friend and notice a guy in line has an insulin pump. Then I notice his friend has one. Then his other friend is testing her blood sugar. Soo I ask who they were and they were in San Diego for a meeting with Insulindependence...a group that does sweet adventures for diabetics. Guess I was a magnet this week :-)
Now I'm off to the Children with Diabetes Friends for Life International Conference in Florida.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Wednesday broke our record for miles and rode 33 miles! My butt was soo sore haha but it was awesome! On0y problem was my blood sugar suffered overnight. When someone with type 1 diabetes does an intense workout, blood sugar can do weird things hours later. At 3am I woke up with a blood sugar of 38 (normal is about 100). Not fun.
Anyways, while bikrng I received several emails offering auction items so I now have a golf swing evaluation, brigantine gift card and jobe sports gift basket. Then today I got this super cool electric toothbrush from my orthodontist. The icing on the cake was a gift certificate from Al's Ski Barn came in the mail.
Sweeeet:-)
And I officially have a camelback tan;-)

Friday, June 15, 2012

JDRF has been funding an artificial pancreas for a while. Its not a cure, but its light years better than what we have now. Basically it'd be a machine implanted in you which would test your blood sugar and give you insulin to lower it or glucagon to raise it. Kind of like a pacemaker for people with heart problems. Id love a real cure but this is such an amazing technology that ill be super happy with this right now.

Last weekend my dad and I rode 20 miles....not that far compared to what we've been doing but we also climbed a hill to 800ft elevation. That was awesome to conquer.

Finally, as of today we have raised $3997.42. Less than $3 away for $4000! Yay!

Sunday, June 3, 2012

I can't believe it has been a month since I last updated on here. It has been crazy. I want to write more about a couple of events in detail, but for now I'll just give a brief summary.

First, my fundraising is going GREAT!! We are now at $3,300. That is awesome! :) I have had some amazing generous donations. I have had a few complete strangers donate. If you are reading this, thank you so much. You are so inspiring. I have also had some friends donate. Some small some big all greatly appreciated. So thank you to my awesome friends for taking a little out of your paycheck to cure diabetes.

Second, training is going pretty well. Our rides are now around 30 miles. We will pick up a lot more this summer as both my dad and I will be on summer break from work and will have a lot more time to ride.

Third, I had a Rubios fundraiser last week and had over 40 people attend. It was lots of fun with great food. Thanks to all who went to support me. I'm planning a Souplantation fundraiser for July so get your appetites ready!!

Fifth, I was the star of a documentary that will be available this fall. I cannot reveal details online but I can tell you that I had the entire crew in San Diego for over 12 hours and they interviewed me and my parents, followed me to work, watched me play soccer, and even went wakeboarding with me. It was soo fun!!!

Finally, mark your calendars for Saturday August 25. I will be having a fundraiser event with paella, music, free coffee bean, massages, a silent auction, and good friends. I am very excited! I'm looking for donations of things to auction off.

I'm off to go sell raffle tickets at some little league games. I'll leave you with a few photos.

Makeup artist, Producer, and Sound/Lights Crew turning my house into a Hollywood set

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Yesterday we rode 26 miles on the dirt trail...which is a marathon in running haha. It was drizzling and cool, not my favorite day to ride, but we're spoiled in so cal. I'm sure bikers in oregon do this everyday. I was pretty exhausted after 8 soccer games, 2 hours of standup paddleboarding, and this bike ride, but I'm all recovered now. I leave you with a photo of a warning sign I saw on my ride :-)

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Last week at soccer I was cutting to dribble around a girl and then I slipped and fell. The girl went to kick the ball and instead kicked me right in the ribs. I couldn't get up for a while since I couldn't breathe. I finally got up and crawled off the field. A few minutes later I attempted to play but I was in too much pain so I went home.
Friday morning (the next day) I left for Colorado to work as a snowboard instructor for a camp for kids with diabetes. I think the cold numbed my pain so I didn't feel it. Monday, though, I woke up in horrible pain. I went to urgent care Monday and found out while nothing appears broken, some cartilage is torn which is why I'm in so much pain.
I did manage to bike 22 miles yesterday with no pain, just less lung capacity. I also got a donation from awesome Antoinette...yay!

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Last week, my friend Caitlin passed away at age 26 from Type 1 Diabetes. I met her in 2008 at the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon. She was a sweet, smart, and healthy young lady who took great care of herself and loved life. I have heard of many people dying from Type 1 Diabetes, but this hit really close to home since we had spent time together and were close in age. She had worked for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation as an advocate for a cure and had studied nursing in college. Diabetes doesn't just kill the old and unhealthy, it gets the young and healthy ones too. My heart aches for Caitlin's family and friends as I know she was a special person in many lives. Life is unfair and things happen unexpectedly. That's why we should always live each day to its fullest.

I have decided to dedicate this ride to Caitlin. Each mile will be a celebration of her life and of those who loved her.

About Me

On October 20,2012 I will be biking 90 miles through Death Valley with my dad to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. This page will be used for updates on my fundraising, training, and how you can help! Thanks for visiting:)
my fundraising page: http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/JennyDeathValley